A talented young pitcher struggles to throw strikes. The major league club sends him to a sports psychologist, where memories of his abusive father come to light.
The Phenom was shot primarily in Atlanta, Georgia. Principal photography wrapped on December 20, 2014. Hawke had previously considered taking a part in Buschel's second film, 2007's Neal Cassady, and the two became friendly after that.
Critical reception
On the film-review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a positive rating of 79% based on 47 reviews, and is Certified Fresh. The site's consensus is, "Powerfully acted and emotionally affecting, The Phenom proves a baseball movie can step away from the mound and still deliver a heater down the middle." The Village Voice said, "The Phenom is the baseball movie Robert Altman never made. Simmons is a wonder." The Hollywood Reporter described the film as "suffused with insight and intelligence," adding, "the film is another noteworthy effort from the writer/director of such intriguing if unfortunately little-seen dramas as Glass Chin and Sparrows Dance." The Los Angeles Times called it "an unusual and affecting baseball drama where nearly all the action is internal." Kyle Smith of the New York Post wrote, "Don't let its restraint fool you: As unshowy as it is, The Phenom has an impressive collection of tools." Matt Prigge of Metro New York wrote that "Noah Buschel might be one of indies' most interesting filmmakers, all the more so because he doesn't belong to any easily promotable group or even genre." Nick Allen of RogerEbert.com wrote, "A welcome surprise for sports cinema.". Ethan Sacks of New York Daily News noted "Every once in a while an indie drama actually throws a curve... The Phenom is a "W" for writer-director Noah Buschel... Johnny Simmons' Hopper Jr. has been taught to never show emotion on the mound. Save some of that for the people in the audience." Neil Genzlinger of The New York Times wrote, "It's a variation of all those children's movies and TV shows in which a Little Leaguer or pee-wee football player is browbeaten by a parent trying to relive his or her own childhood. The director and writer, Noah Buschel, has no fresh insights to add to the well-worn dynamic and doesn't give the actors or audience much to work with."
Release
The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 17, 2016. The film was released on June 24, 2016, by RLJ Entertainment. For its UK release, the film was retitled 'Rage' by Pascal Borno and advertised as a prison movie.
